1. Field
This invention relates to orthotics, and specifically to accommodative foot beds.
2. State of the Art
Foot problems are ubiquitous among mankind. Many efforts have been made to reduce the discomfort associated with footwear by means of special insoles, arch supports and other structural inserts. To the extent that these devices have been readily available to the public, they have been intended for general use; that is, they have been intended to offer relief from the minor discomforts experienced by large segments of the public, including individuals with structurally normal feet. To alleviate specific complaints arising from individual structural deformations of the feet has traditionally required expert diagnosis by foot specialists, followed by the custom manufacture or fitting of costly orthotic devices.
Recently, innersoles containing fluid or flowable foot beds have been offered for sale. Such devices may bring relief from certain complaints, but they are not truly accommodative. Persons with skeletal defects or other anatomical maladies require a foot bed permanently formed into a custom shape adapted to their specific anatomy.
There has not heretofore been available a satisfactory accommodative foot bed of modest cost susceptible of quick, reliable custom fitting. There remains a need for such a device which can be custom fit to individuals having widely varying complaints, including those associated with skeletal defects, in a retail, as opposed to a clinical, setting.